Contact breaker for electric circuits

ABSTRACT

A contact breaker for electric circuits which comprises first and second current conductive elements with the latter element slidably engaging the first element and forming an electric circuit therewith. An interruptor member is slidably fixed on the first element and is located in the path of the second element and has a surface electrically insulated from the first element so that upon engagement of the second element with this surface the electric circuit is broken. Means are provided on the surface of the interruptor member which are adapted to remove impurities collected on the second element during sliding thereof along the first element.

United States Patent Germany P 17 65 656.3

CONTACT BREAKER FOR ELECTRIC CIRCUITS 7 Claims, 1 Drawing Fig.

US. Cl 200/166 G H0lh 1/06 Field of Search 200/166 G [56] ReferencesCited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,250 884 5/1966 Larkin 200/166 (0) PrimaryExaminerH. 0. Jones A!l0rneyMichael S. Striker ABSTRACT: A contactbreaker for electric circuits which comprises first and second currentconductive elements with the latter element slidably engaging the firstelement and forming an electric circuit therewith. An interruptor memberis slidably fixed on the first element and is located in the path of thesecond element and has a surface electrically insulated from the firstelement so that upon engagement of the second element with this surfacethe electric circuit is broken. Means are provided on the surface of theinterrupter member which are adapted to remove impurities collected onthe second element during sliding thereof along the first element.

PAIENIEMuuzsmn 3590.198

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' 2mm FISH/ER CONTACT BREAKER FOR ELECTRIC CIRCUITS BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION The present invention relates to a contact breaker forinterrupting electric currents and, more particularly, relates to anelectric current interruptor disposed on a rail and adapted todisconnect the path of current between the rail and a sliding contactengaging the rail.

Such type of interruptors are known and in common use. They usually areconnected to those parts of the rail where, for various reasons, theelectric current has to be interrupted. This is accomplished by anelectrically insulated disconnecting surface of the interruptor andwhich is positioned directly in the path of the sliding contact so thatupon engagement with this contact the latter is moved onto this surfacewhereby the electric current is immediately interrupted. Such surfacesusually are made ofa nonconductive, synthetic material.

However, this electrically insulating material used for disconnectingpurposes has the well-known characteristic that it accepts anelectrostatic change in response to friction. As a result of such acharge dust is attracted and is accumulated on the disconnecting surfaceof the interruptor. In addition, for the duration that the slidingcontact slides over this surface, also the sliding contact iselectrostatically charged as a result of which dust is also collectedand accumulated on the sliding contact.

Experiences have shown that these dust particles may accumulate betweenthe sliding contact and the rail, whereby the electric current betweenthe rail and the sliding contact is opposed by a high ohmic resistance.This, eventually, may even lead to a complete and unwanted interruptionof the electric current.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the invention is to provide asimple but effective interruptor device which, at all times, facilitatesa proper functioning of the disconnecting surface and the slidingcontact.

A further object of the invention is to provide an interruptor devicefor electric current which provides novel means through which dustcollected on this disconnecting surface is easily and effectivelydisposed of.

The interruptor device for electric current according to the inventioncomprises a first and a second current-conductive member, with the lastmentioned member operatively engaging the first-mentioned member andforming an electric circuit therewith for the passage of electriccurrent, an interruptor member disposed on the first conductive memberand having a surface electrically insulated from the first conductivemember is located in the path of the second conductive member so thatupon engagement of the second conductive member with this surface theelectric circuit is interrupted, and means in the region of this surfaceadapted to remove impurities collected on the second conductive memberduring sliding thereof along the first conductive member.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for theinvention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. Theinvention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method ofoperation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, willbe best understood from the following description of specificembodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The single figure illustrates a planview of the electric current interruptor device according to theinvention. DESCRIP- TION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT As shown, the railI comprises an undercut groove 2 which extends longitudinally in therail. Disposed on the surface 3 of the rail is an electric currentinterruptor device 4 which is provided with a downward projection 4adisposed in groove 2 and via which the interruptor 4 can be slidablyfixed to the rail at any desired location thereof. The rail itself maybe endless or may follow a more or less straight line. integrally formedwith and forming part of the interruptor 4 is a disconnecting surface 5provided with a corrugated upper surface. A sliding contact 7 whichnormally slidably engages the surface 3 of the rail 1, together with therail form an electric circuit for the passage of electric currenttherethrough. It will be appreciated that both the rail and the slidingcontact are made of electrically conducting materials. The slidingcontact follows the longitudinal pattern of the rail and as shown, thedisconnecting surface 5, made of an electrically insulating material,lies directly in the path of travel of sliding contact 7 so that uponengagement of the sliding contact with the disconnecting surface, thecontact slides over the corrugations formed in the surface. For theduration that the sliding contact slides over the disconnecting surface,the electric current between the rail and the sliding contact isinterrupted. Furthermore, the dust or other impurities, collected andaccumulated on the sliding contact during its sliding engagement withthe rail, are, so to speak, scraped off from the contact surface of thesliding contact and so that the dust is automatically collected in thecorrugated surface 5. The corrugations 6 in the surface 5, as shown,extend transversely relative to the path of travel of the slidingcontact so as to facilitate an efficient scraping and cleaning effect.The dust, collected in the corrugations 6, can thereafter be easilyremoved from the disconnecting surface.

It will be appreciated that with the arrangement as described above, avery efficient way is provided to automatically remove dust from thesliding contact.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist ofthe present invention that others can by applying current knowledgereadily adapt it for various applications without omitting featuresthat, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essentialcharacteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this inventionand, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to becomprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of thefollowing claims,

What I claim as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is setforth in the appended claims.

1. Device for interrupting an electric current comprising a firstcurrent conductive member having an elongated face; a groove provided inand extending longitudinally of said face; a second current conductivemember slidably engaging said first conductive member and forming anelectric circuit therewith for the passage of electric current, at leastone of said conductive members being displaceable with reference to theother; an interruptor member disposed on said first conductive memberand having at least one projection received in said groove andpositioning said interruptor member relative to said first conductivemember, said interruptor member further having a surface electricallyinsulated from said first conductive member and located in the path ofsaid second conductive member so that upon engagement of the latter withsaid surface said electric circuit is interrupted; and means in theregion of said surface of said interruptor member adapted to removeimpurities collected on said second conductive member during relativedisplacement of said conductive members.

2. A device as defined in claim 13, wherein said means are corrugationsprovided in said surface ofsaid interruptor member.

3. A device as defined in claim 13, wherein said means are projectionsand depressions in said surface of said interruptor member.

4. A device as defined in claim 3, wherein said projections are ridgeswith sloping surfaces located intermediate said ridges.

5. A device as defined in claim 2, wherein said corrugations extendtransversely to the path of said second conductive member.

6. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein said face of said firstconductive member extends in a straight line.

7. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein said groove is undercut andwherein said projection is slidably received in said groove.

1. Device for interrupting an electric current comprising a firstcurrent conductive member having an elongated face; a groove provided inand extending longitudinally of said face; a second current conductivemember slidably engaging said first conductive member and forming anelectric circuit therewith for the passage of electric current, at leastone of said conductive members being displaceable with reference to theother; an interruptor member disposed on said first conductive memberand having at least one projection received in said groove andpositioning said interruptor member relative to said first conductivemember, said interruptor member further having a surface electricallyinsulated from said first conductive member and located in the path ofsaiD second conductive member so that upon engagement of the latter withsaid surface said electric circuit is interrupted; and means in theregion of said surface of said interruptor member adapted to removeimpurities collected on said second conductive member during relativedisplacement of said conductive members.
 2. A device as defined in claim13, wherein said means are corrugations provided in said surface of saidinterruptor member.
 3. A device as defined in claim 13, wherein saidmeans are projections and depressions in said surface of saidinterruptor member.
 4. A device as defined in claim 3, wherein saidprojections are ridges with sloping surfaces located intermediate saidridges.
 5. A device as defined in claim 2, wherein said corrugationsextend transversely to the path of said second conductive member.
 6. Adevice as defined in claim 1, wherein said face of said first conductivemember extends in a straight line.
 7. A device as defined in claim 1,wherein said groove is undercut and wherein said projection is slidablyreceived in said groove.